Wireless systems currently in use are mainly voice/services based. Supplemental services such as short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS), instant messaging service (IMS) and the like have been deployed over wireless systems and generate significant revenues for the operators. This is complicated by the fact that these services are closely tied to specific technologies and network infrastructure and users may not be able to reach these services by way of another wireless access technology other than the one supported by the user's terminal.
Various wireless local area networks (WLANs) such as IEEE 802.11, and wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs) such as IEEE 802.16 and 802.20 have been developed. While there are functional distinctions between WLANs and WMANs, “WLANs” as used herein are intended to include WLANs, WMANs and similar wireless networks. The development of the WLANs such as IEEE 802.11, 802.16 and 802.20 among others, the integration of such networks into existing wireless networks such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), code division multiple access 2000 (CDMA 2000) to name just a few, together with the variety of wireless terminals that can support such technologies, it is advantageous to provide for independent delivery of such services to wireless terminals capable of supporting multiple radio interfaces and network infrastructures.
While these different services are typically separately accessed by the user, it is often the case where the availability of the services or type of service desired changes dynamically. In addition to changes in the type of data transferred by a single device such as transfer of data during a conversation, it is often the case that a user wishes to continue to communicate but wishes to change devices during a session. A simple example of this would be a user engaging in a live text message conversation session on fixed location computer, and then continuing the live text message conversation session while traveling. This sort of continuation of a single session would be particularly useful, for example, in cases where the session is being used in connection with maintenance and repair work, which may also include such functions as database access. Such changes of devices or communications services are difficult because the connections are substantially different in their configuration.